Ixxxvi PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
doing yeoman service in connection with the very successful Exhibi¬ 
tion which was held two years ago. He has enriched our Transactions 
with several original contributions on the Ornithology of the district, 
and has also contributed many specimens to the Museum. What 
we shall miss most, however, is his cheery presence at our Excursions 
and Meetings, at both of which he was one of the most constant 
attenders. Indeed, an Excursion never seemed quite complete 
unless “ The Colonel ” were present, with his Frena camera, and his 
crook-handled stick ! Our best wishes go with him, however, and 
we doubt not that he will still continue to take an interest in the 
fortunes of the P.S.N.S. 
Since writing the foregoing sentences, I have learned with much 
regret that we are about to lose another of our most active and 
enthusiastic members, namely, Mr. T. M. M‘Gregor, F.E.S., who is 
shortly to sail for New Zealand. Mr. M‘Gregor joined the Society 
as early as 1875, showing that from boyhood he has been an 
enthusiastic naturalist. He has served both as a Councillor and as 
Vice-President. It is unnecessary for me to recall all that Mr. 
M‘Gregor has done to encourage the study of his favourite science, 
Entomology, both by original research, and by leading others to take 
an interest in the subject. In particular, he has done much to 
encourage a love of Natural History amongst the young, especially 
in regard to the wonders of insect life. His original work has been 
of no mean order, and he has added much to our knowledge of the 
entomology of Perthshire, especially in regard to some of the less 
familiar orders of insects, such as the Hemiptera and Hymenoptera. 
Indeed, in these he has come to be recognised as one of the leading 
authorities in the country. Our thoughts will be with him in his 
distant home, where he has promised to continue his studies, and to 
send us, from time to time, some of the results of his researches, 
both in the form of specimens and communications. In virtue of 
this promise, the Council have had great pleasure in recommending 
that his name be added to the roll of our Corresponding Members. 
children’s essay competition. 
The Children’s Essay Competition still continues to increase 
in popularity with the young people attending the schools both in 
the City and the County. This year the subject was “The Feet, 
Legs, and Bills of Birds,” and 81 Essays were sent in, as compared 
with 70 last year, the ages of the writers ranging from 10 to 15. 
The success of the movement has again been largely due to the 
labours of our Curator, Mr. Rodger, in directing the children’s 
studies. The object of these competitions is, in the first instance, to 
interest school children in our Museum, but a secondary and much 
more important object is, by means of the Museum, to interest them 
in Nature herself. That this latter object is being fulfilled, at least 
to a certain extent, I think will be best proved by quoting brief 
passages from one or two of the Essays. One competitor, a boy of 
13, living in Birnam, writes as follows:—“I have often seen the 
Woodpecker among the trees searching for its food. It goes round 
